BMW i3 Unveiled: Electric Vehicle Will Arrive In Dealerships Later This Year [PHOTOS]

The BMW i3 was unveiled as part of a global presentation held simultaneously in New York, Beijing and London. The electric vehicle will be priced at $46,000 and will arrive in dealerships in Europe and Germany in November while the United States, China and Japan will have to wait until the first half of 2014 for the BMW i3 to arrive in dealerships.

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BMW AG revealed the i3 in a global unveiling event on Monday. The new electric vehicle will have a range of 130 to 160 kilometers, 80 to 99 miles, when fully charged. Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, was on hand to reveal the BMW i3 in New York and said, “The BMW i3 is more than an evolutionary step —it is a great leap forward. From sketch to street, the i3 is unique in every respect. With the intention of creating a truly sustainable car, we conducted research in megacities around the world.”

By the presentation, and the locations selected for the unveiling, the new electric vehicle from BMW aims to be a solution chosen by those living in the city. Reithofer tailored his speech to the needs of New York City saying, “The BMW i3 is the perfect solution to the mobility needs of people here in New York City. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has committed the remainder of his term to making New York City the greenest city on earth by supporting several citywide programs.”

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The BMW chairman also focused on the need to reduce carbon emissions while noting the increased push for sustainability. New York City also has plans in place to increase the number of charging ports in public parking locations by 20 percent over the next seven years, notes Reithofer.

Among the design features, the BMW i3 will sport carbon fiber throughout the vehicle’s passenger compartment, reducing the overall weight. BMW will also include a range-extender option for those wanting more mileage out of their electric vehicle, allowing the i3 to get up to 300 kilometers, 186 miles, when fully charged. According to BMW, the vehicle can go 0 to 60 kilometers, 37 miles per hour in 3.7 seconds and 0 to 100 kilometers, 62 miles, in 7.2 seconds. The BMW i3 can reach a top speed of 150 km/h, approximately 93 miles per hour.

The BMW i Remote app allows drivers interact with the vehicle and provides navigation routes as well as locations of public charging stations. According to BMW, the i3 is the first “premium car designed from the ground up to be powered by an electric drive system,” emphasizing the car to not only be lightweight but incredibly durable.

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The BMW i3 is listed at a starting price of 34,950 euros, $46,000, and the range-extender option will cost an additional 4,500 euros, $5,960.